


Kia Kaha Te Tupuhi

by BluBooThalassophile



Series: HfaB Universe [4]
Category: Aquaman (2018), Aquaman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Gen, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-10-02 19:03:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17269343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/BluBooThalassophile
Summary: It's not about the throne of Atlantis. It's not about Idylists or Poseidonis. It's not even about blood. His brother's missing and he's going to find him.





	1. Tautahi

Here’s the big thing to know about having nothing, when you finally have everything you never want to lose it. There are things one is willing to do to keep what they’ve gotten, what they’ve dreamt of having, and Garth had dreamt of having a family. Being outcasted from the Idylists had been something that should’ve killed him. Left to the Trench, if Arthur hadn’t found him… Garth shuddered to think what would’ve happened to him.

Arthur saving him from the Trench had also given him something, a family, a name, and a home. Poseidonis might have looked down upon him, but given the name Garth and a home, he couldn’t have cared less. Arthur was kind to him, Arthur; who was barely king and newly married had adopted him. Mera liked him even; despite her constant prying to find out if he remembered anything before the Trench; he didn’t, the information that he was even an Idylist would come later. And even after discovering he was an Idylist, he renounced them as his people, clinging to the Atlantean home he had found, hopeful that Mera and Arthur would not kick him out as their first child was expected. They had kept him.

The birth of Arthur Curry Jr. was a momentous occasion, and Garth had fallen in love with his new little brother, at fourteen. A.J. was Garth’s life, he’d die for his baby brother, and he took great joys swimming around Atlantis with A.J. and through the city ruins, and reefs.

 Which brought him to today, as he swam through the palace; returning from the Silent School, and A.J. sitting on his shoulders babbling.

“Is that so?” he chuckled at A.J.’s enthusiasm over an urchin that had currently taken his attention.

“Mine!” the three year old announced.

“I bet,” Garth chuckled. Swimming into Arthur’s study he paused seeing Mera and Arthur in a heated argument; their arguments were always epic when they happened, but both heads snapped to him when he entered.

“What’s going on?” Garth asked as he pulled A.J. off his shoulders and into his arms.

“Nothing,” Mera stated swimming over to him and taking A.J., she shot a parting glare at Arthur before she swam around the corridor.

“How were the lessons?” Arthur asked with a smile. For a man as large and as imposing as Arthur, Garth couldn’t ever remember Arthur being scary. Sure, the tattoos were intimidating, but Garth had started following in his foster father’s footsteps; his foster grandfather had proudly taken him to get his first tattoo when he was fourteen.

“Difficult, but worth it, I’m mastering my skills and the teachers are most impressed with my shields,” he admitted. “I admit that I am struggling with hydrokinesis,” he said tiredly.

“Vulko attempted to teach me some, but I was never gifted in hydrokinesis,” Arthur chuckled.

“It’s hard, but I feel that it will be worth mastering it,” he admitted.

“Good lad,” Arthur chuckled clasping his shoulder.

“What were you an Mera arguing about?” he asked again, he wasn’t going to give it up, because it was obviously important between the two of them. He hated it when Mera and Arthur got in serious fights.

“I have to go to the surface, there’s a meeting at the UN, Vulko has suggested we take A.J. with us and present ourselves to the surface as the royal family,” Arthur sighed.

“That’s a good thing, right?” Garth asked uncertainly.

“It’s… complicated, kid, I’m going up to pop’s place,” Arthur said.

“I’ll come!” Garth decided; he liked going up to the surface to meet pop’s. Tom Curry was a man with more philosophy and historical information than most Atlantean scholars, he was quick witted, quiet, and a linguist, Garth found the surfacer fascinating. His other surface friends were cool but Pop’s took the lead on cool, like Glacier cool.

“You’re not drinking this time,” Arthur warned.

“Afraid I’ll drink you under the table?” Garth challenged.

“Pop’s will have to put it in a sippy-cup for you if you’re not careful.”

“Come on! I can breathe underwater, no way he could beat me in a drinking competition.”

“There are some mysteries of this universe that will never be understood,” Arthur shook his head, Garth grinned as he swam after his dad.

“If we go to the surface with A.J. you’re coming with,” Arthur warned him seriously.

Garth sobered up as he swam by his father. “I understand.” Arthur was a wild man, slightly crazy, and definitely a thrill seeker, but Garth knew his dad was nothing but kind beneath his gruff exterior. His dad was also a giant sap; like his pops, and wrapped around Mera’s pinky. However, his dad, for all gruff, brutish attitude, was also very protective of his family, a trait Garth wanted to emulate, because he loved A.J. and Mera like they were his.

“You may never be a Prince of Atlantis, but you are my son,” Arthur said as they neared Maine. “And I need to know you’re looking after your baby brother.”

“Always,” Garth decided firmly.

“Good,” Arthur nodded as they leapt from the water to the dock. Garth smiled seeing his grandfather there. Rushing forward he hugged Tom as tight as he could.

“Someone is getting tall!” he heard his grandfather chuckle.

“I will be taller than dad,” he stated smugly.

“No respect for his elders, see what I’m dealing with here pops?” Arthur griped as he shoved Garth to the side to hug his dad. Garth laughed as he sidestepped them.

“Hey, can I get another tattoo while I’m here?” Garth asked.

“Did you ask Mera?” Arthur asked as they walked for the lighthouse.

“No.”

“Absolutely!” Pops decided.

"They glow purple when I use my magic, it's cool!" Garth said as he showed Tom then, allowing the purple energy of his magic wind it's way up his arm, illuminating the tattoos normally black ink. They weren't the tā moko that Arthur had, but between Pops and Arthur, they had adopted to helping him build a unique design to honor his heritage, and to still feel closer to his adopted dad and mom. It was thoughtfully outlined and carefully constructed; by Pops himself.

“So you have the mystic of the family, your grandfather will be relieved to know that talent is not lost,” Tom said to Arthur.

“Of course Garth’s a natural talent,” Arthur stated proudly.

* * *

 

Arthur stared at the seventeen year old currently passed out on his old bed, snoring, his new tattoo was inflamed and red. Grabbing a blanket Arthur draped it over the teen, who grumbled a bit, twisting out of reach a bit, into the wall of Arthur’s old room. Walking down to the living room he saw his pops sitting there in his favorite armchair, with a mug of hot tea, and another in hand. Arthur took the invitation as he sat down on the couch, their old television was playing a history documentary about the Medal of Honor recipients, quietly, it was harrowing and saddening to hear the price of what those heroes did.

“How’s A.J.?” Tom asked with a wiry grinned. Arthur snorted as he pulled out his most recent photo of his toddler.

“He’s swimming faster,” Arthur chuckled handing the blurred photo to his pops. Tom chuckled. The curly bleached hair of his son was a gift from him, Arthur could see a lot of his dad in the kid though. However, A.J. was also obviously his, and it was kind of cute; minus the eyes; those eyes were all Mera’s.

“You must bring him, on your next visit,” Tom chuckled.

“I will old man,” Arthur grinned. He was really glad A.J. and Garth both had relationships with the surface world and his pops, it was healthier than how most Atlanteans viewed the surface. With his reign he had been able to talk to countries, lessen the over fishing, increase trade, and with Bruce’s help, started a clean ocean treaty which was currently cleaning up the ocean of decades of pollution.

“What’s on your mind?” Tom asked as they leaned back in their seats.

“It’s… the UN has come to acknowledge Atlantis as a world power and asked us to join,” Arthur said.

“That is good is it not?”

“It’s… complicated.” Arthur was King of Atlantis and a United States citizen, he loved both the land and the sea, found home in both and found peace in both, changing the world was his focus now, bringing about a peace between land and sea was not easy though. “Vulko has suggested that this would be the time to bring my family out,” Arthur said calmly.

Tom looked resigned about that as he leaned back in his old recliner. “You do not think so?”

“I’m not sure,” Arthur said. “Mera is arguing that it would bring Atlantis to a standing monarch and announce the succession of a healthy heir. I…” Arthur shook his head. “Call me crazy but there’s this nagging gut feeling of something being off about the entire invitation, and request,” Arthur said.

“What?”

“Calvin’s recent escape from prison, Orm’s disappearance, it just… it feels too much like a trap. The deaths and captures of other key League members. And B’s son’s death last year,” Arthur admitted.

“You will do what feels right for your family,” Tom said.

“I can’t just think about my family though,” Arthur thought bitterly. “I am no King,” he repeated the truth as he leaned forward dragging his hands through his long hair. Nearly five years of doing this king thing and he had no idea what the hell he was doing! It was so easy to just be Aquaman, to go save stranded fishermen, in distress subs, thwarting pirates, it was all so easy, but now it wasn’t because; as his mother, father, advisors, and wife pointed out continuously, it wasn’t about saving people anymore, it was about being a king, a leader, something more to the people. The problem was he wasn’t just a King of one of the kingdoms; he was THE King, and that was a hell of a lot to put on a wild man drifter who had only wanted to make it to happy hour and occasionally help out.

Arthur had never imagined himself King of Atlantis, ever, not even when he wanted to see his mom or visit Atlantis, or form a relationship with his baby brother. He had never imagined getting hitched or having two kids; it just wasn’t in his cards.

So now that he was here, with a wife whom he adored, and two kids he loved, and a kingdom looking to him for answers, he had no idea what the hell he was supposed to do. There were so many freaking ways he could fuck this all up and create a Global War, and there were so many ways he could fuck up his marriage and lose the best thing that had ever happened.

“You are King,” Tom stated firmly.

“But I was never meant to be a King, or THE King!” Arthur hissed. Surging to his feet because he felt the need to move now. “There are a thousand ways to go, and there’s no one giving me a straight answer about which is actually best for the people. Everyone has their own agenda, and the idiots running the show stay in power. I’ve found it hard to trust my own council, and losing Calvin has made it difficult to focus, now there’s the UN, which is nothing but a bunch of useless old power nations that can’t get a long for longer than three seconds to declare war. Getting Atlantis to work with Australia, the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. was hard enough, but asking them to get along with the world when the world can’t even respect us as a real nation!? And opening to trade, thank God for B or that’d never happen, however, there’s still all these contracts heading through Mera’s father from LexCorp that he’s been pushing for, and… I miss when the world was smaller,” Arthur groused collapsing at the end of his tirade. “And Mera’s pissed at me because I don’t want to leap into showing off A.J. to the world, and she thinks I’m uninterested in her because I’m fucking **_EXHAUSTED_**! Between being the King, in the League, and the kids…” he rubbed his face over.

“I see, rest here tonight,” Tom said.

“Thanks pops,” Arthur said as his father got up to leave. Arthur’s and Mera’s fight had been of an intensely personal nature, one which had him fearing for his marriage, and if he and Mera didn’t get a minute alone without advisors and kids butting in. Shit he missed when things were simple and could be fixed by a pint and a hardy fight.

And Arthur could shake this nagging feeling of trouble coming.

Falling over on the couch he’d spent many a hangovers on he groaned, he wanted things to go back to being simple!

* * *

 

Mera sat alone in her room, A.J. had long since fallen asleep, and her red hair floated around her as she stared at her sleeping baby. Before her the bioluminescent lights of Atlantis illuminated the ocean floor and she sighed.

There was a time she’d have said this was the easiest thing to do, she was born to rule, raised to be a Queen, taught to be a warrior, and bred to do her duty. However, her heart was hopelessly entangled with Arthur, since the first moment she had met him. Arthur was different, and he brought something more and something different to the throne beyond passion of caring about the people of Atlantis, Arthur fought for everyone, and he brought that to the throne.

His passion, his kindness, his fight, it all came to be embodied in her husband who had smiled at the title mongrel. He was not much different from when they married. Arthur’s more paternal nature had emerged when they had taken in Garth, and at the birth of A.J. but his fatherly nature did not extend to his people. Mera turned to trace A.J.’s cheek gently, closing her eyes, as she felt her child’s soft tanned skin beneath her fingers. She wanted A.J. to know the two worlds, to feel like he belonged.

She bit her lip as it trembled and closed her eyes to the city.

She wanted her husband, her lover, she wanted to feel Arthur here.

She did not want to fight him about joining the surface world, she didn’t want to fight him about declining Luthor’s offer, or fighting against her father. She just wanted peace for her family.

* * *

 

“He might not accept.”

“He will.”

“And if he shouldn’t?”

“There are ways to persuade him to our point.”

“He will see the Light.”


	2. Whānau

Garth woke with the sun filtering in through the window, groaning he rolled away, yelping when he rolled onto the floor with a solid thud ruining whatever chances of sleep he had been planning to get some more sleep. Pushing himself up he stumbled out of the room and wandered down to the kitchen. Pops was at the coffee pot, and Garth yawned loudly.

“Morning,” Garth grumbled as he dragged a hand through his hair.

“Good morning,” Tom smiled as he poured himself a cup of coffee, and offered some to Garth. Garth declined, he didn’t particularly like the bitter battery acid drink humans seemed to enjoy so much. “Arthur headed for Atlantis earlier,” he said.

“He always has to go back,” Garth muttered. He did and did not understand Arthur’s responsibilities and commitments. Garth didn’t understand certain aspects of his dad’s commitments because he wasn’t in line for the throne, merely the adopted son of the King who would be appointed his own position when he was ready. Personally Garth was hoping to be a warrior or serve his people with his magic. Going to the Silent School was a massive honor, especially considering he was an outsider. As an Idylist, it was a massive honor to even bestowed the chance to study at the Silent School, though he supposed being the adoptive son of Arthur had given him some perks.

“Your father is a very important man,” Tom said.

“I know,” Garth admitted. His violet eyes flicked up to his grandfather. “I just don’t think he likes it very much,” he omitted.

“Being King is not about liking the job, young one,” Tom said firmly as they leaned on the counters.

“It should matter!” he snapped. “Dad works so hard, and I just… he doesn’t seem happy about this anymore.”

“To be King is a heavy burden to bear, to be a fair, just, wise King is far more than most. Your father is learning to be a wise King,” Tom stated.

“I know,” Garth sighed.

“It is your job to be there for your father, to be his whānau, remind him of his home,” Tom stated. “Home is not a place, Garth, it is a feeling here,” he said gesturing to his heart. “It is the most important feeling for us.”

“I will remind him,” Garth said.

“And you watch that baby brother of yours,” Tom ordered.

“AJ is awesome,” Garth grinned as he accepted the plate of breakfast from Pops. He was very fond of surface food; it was so much more flavored than Atlantean food, and it was something he savored. Sitting at the table he waited until Pops joined him.

“I have seen the news, of your saves,” Tom said. “Young heroes banning together in San Francisco

“We have decided to be called the Titans,” he announced.

“Oh?” Tom looked intrigued.

“Yes, Speedy, Kid Flash, and Robin all feel it is a good name,” he smiled.

“Yeah, we’re not the Justice League, so we refuse to try to be.”

“It is important to embrace what the elders have built, but it is good to know that your team is based on true friendship and not stopping an alien invasion. True friendship is a better foundation than one sired from need,” Pops stated.

“I… I like them, Pops. Well, Robin I needs an attitude adjustment, but he isn’t a bad leader,” Garth omitted; also Speedy and Kid Flash swore he wasn’t always like this. Still, Garth wanted to punch the young man in the face for the sheer animosity he shoed his younger sibling in Gotham. Family was a bond which was sacred, and precious, and one which should mean everything to one, especially an elder sibling. It was their job to protect the younger, to guide them, to love and defend them. It was not their job to resent the younger; and Garth had learned this through Pops and Arthur in ways he couldn’t even begin to quantify. Especially upon learning about his birth parents and the people who had abandoned him.

“Remember, Garth, you are a tempest and must follow what you know in your heart to be right, even if you must go alone,” Pops chimed.

“I know, for now, I will be proud to be a Titan and follow Robin so I can learn,” he said. “The guy’s been a warrior since he was a child.”

“Learning is always wise,” Pops agreed.

“I thought so,” he preened.

“Now if only we could get you to stop listening to that ridiculous excuse for music,” Pops groused.

“Jabberjaw and the Neptunes are classics!” he defened.

“If you want to lose your ears,” Pops retorted.

“You just have no tastes,” Garth decided.

“Boston, Chicago, Journey even, those are music groups.” Pops decided. “Caveman and the Angels, Aerosmith even.”

“At least I don’t like the Beatles,” Garth groused.

“That singing shark is not natural,” Tom vowed.

“He’s go t a great voice,” Garth shrugged.

“We will debate that later,” Tom decided.

“You will lose,” Garth warned.

“Did your father not teach you to respect your elders boy?” he teased.

“Always, but I’m also right,” Garth grinned.

“What is it about Curry men being so stubborn?” Tom sighed.

“We obviously learned it from our elders.”

“Cheekiness is only cute from Atlanna,” Pops warned.

“Well I’m obviously not Atlanna, I’m not blonde,” Garth retorted.

Tom just sighed.

“She should be done with the Council Meetings soon, now that AJ’s getting older and Mera doesn’t need as much help to be Queen. King’s Mother is an important role,” Garth said softly. He knew that his father would have dragged Pops with him to the Council for guidance but humans would never survive the pressures beneath the sea. Atlantis was far too deep for Pops to visit.

“It is challenging to rule and raise a family,” Tom conceded.

“She misses you, Pops,” Garth murmured.

“She’ll return,” he murmured.

* * *

 

The scales were itchy, and unrestful today as she sat in her refuge trying not to draw attention to herself. A Mutant would not be welcomed in the Atlantis refugee camp. Sighing she gave up as she found some tattered things she’d found in a wreck from a surfacer’s ship which would cover the scales. She would have to focus on hiding them later since today her body’s changes were making themselves irritating and known.

Drawing her tangle of bioluminescent hair back she looked around at the city which she had found refuge in.

She had originally had no intentions of coming to Atlantis for refuge but there had been attack where she’d been living by the Deluge. King Arthur of Atlantis had opened his city up for the people seeking refuge from these attacks as he coordinated with Xebel to rebuild the lost villages. She wasn’t too particularly concerned about returning.

Right now she needed to get her mutation under control, then she would seek employment and see if there was a way to get full citizenship here in the capital. Her plan was simple, but she felt that it would be effective to concealing her ailment.

Mutants were not acceptable, she knew this, it was why she had lived on the outskirts of that village before it’s attack, living on a small farm. Swimming through the people she noted how lively it was here in Atlantis, pushing to the upper levels of the city to explore she found a wide variety of bioluminescence illuminating the sea very colorfully.

Dolphin thought it interesting as she just meandered through the water, so different from what she was accustomed to. The people seemed so beautiful, and important she was feeling shabby in the stolen rags of the surfacer’s vessel which had her stuffing her webbed fingers in her pocket. The odd, tight, rubbery; almost like armor; pants she had salvaged hid the oddities of her feet and the scales there as it started light, pale blue on her ankles and was near black by the time it reached her hips. Perfect for hiding the scales she couldn’t hide yet. Pausing at a current as the whales and transports swam by she just bobbed her head in time with the music which had caught her attention.

The crowd was gathering around her as they waited; not willing to swim over in fear of a riptide or worse an under current she found it easier to wait for a break.

When the break presented itself she surged forward through the crowds, careful to keep her hands tucked away safely in her pockets. The city was so unlike the village she had been hiding in it was unbelievable. She didn’t know what to think or how to process the difference, this place was wonderous. She smiled a bit to herself until someone smashed into her from above which had her and the persons unknown plummeting down through the city, she shoved the person off as she rolled through the water, shoving her hands in her pockets and found herself staring at a young woman, maybe slightly older than herself, dressed in traditional Atlantean armor.

* * *

 

Murk had bested her, throwing her off the training platform and straight into a civilian who had tumbled under the force, now righted, Tula found herself staring at an athletic looking Atlantean. The girl was pale as ivory, her hair was so white it almost seemed to glow, and her eyes were silver, almost shark like in nature.

“I am so sorry!” Tula chuckled as she floated there, the girl was slightly younger than herself, and looked ready to bolt. She was a refugee, Tula deduced rapidly; by the salvaged clothes the girl was wearing. Taking this moment to be friendly Tula smiled kindly and held her hand out. “I am Tula.”

The silver blonde said nothing, her eyes flicking to the hand and back to Tula. The blonde made no move to introduce herself or take Tula’s hand.

“Tula! Get your ass up here guppy! We have training to do!” Murk bellowed,

Sighing she surged upwards leaving the odd refugee there before barreling up into Murk as she pulled on her powers to slam into her commander and trainer. Tula was fast as she pulled a knife for the attack, Murk’s hand still caught her own and twisted it behind her back.

“You cannot rely on magic to save your ass guppy,” Murk grounded out before he tossed her back onto the platform. “You want to be a part of Drift you will have to shape up guppy!”

* * *

 

He swam to the meeting place where he was expecting to meet with the source which had freed him from prison. His short blond hair was floating around him in some length and he felt haggard in appearance and body. Floating in the water he looked around the murky abyss which was open ocean when suddenly a triton came flying at his head which he twisted around and caught to level at the attacker’s throat.

“Well, well, you are better than I was expecting,” a haggard voice said which had him looking as the stealth technology he had given an operative of his once appeared. The Black Manta was formidable, Orm would admit it was a mistake having trusted the pirate with Atlantean technology and fueling the proverbial fire which had him motivated to doing this.

“I am here, what do you want?” he asked.

“We want you to see the Light,” Black Manta responded.

“I will have no part in whatever schemes you wish to entangle me in,” he snarled lowly. Five years in prison with Arthur as his only visitor other than his mother.

“All the pieces are in place, I can make you a hero of Atlantis,” Black Manta offered. “Restore you to your throne, all you have to do is see the Light.”

“And watch you kill my brother.”

“Oh that I will not be doing, yet,” Calvin smiled.

“And what am I supposed to see in the light?” Orm asked reluctantly.


End file.
